sparrow chat

What is America’s fixation with John McCain? I guess that standing next to his Republican competition in the nomination race illumines him in a rosier light, but honestly, do Americans really want a seventy-two year old has-been as their next president?

Also hard to comprehend is the hero worship. So the guy spent five and a half years banged up in a Vietcong prison; so what? Anywhere but America that would be taken as a sign of failure. If he’d escaped, hacked down twenty of the enemy, stolen a uniform and a Vietcong jeep, then fought his way to the nearest landing strip before hijacking an enemy aircraft and hightailing it back to Arizona, THEN he might be considered a hero.

Okay, I’ll admit there’s an element of facetiousness in that last paragraph. By all accounts McCain is no coward. He even gave up the chance of an early release from prison camp to support other POW’s. But, that, of itself, won’t guarantee he’ll make a good American president.

Despite McCain’s oft quoted “straight-talking” ability, the guy bobs and weaves better than a hunted rabbit. His views on abortion have been up and down more often than a whore’s underwear. Officially, he toes the party line, but in 1999 he admitted ‘Roe v Wade’ should not be repealed.

In 2007 he changed his mind.

He’s been known in the past as a lead sponsor of gun control legislation, yet voted against renewal of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act.

A recent Washington Times editorial described McCain’s stance-shifting on immigration, thus^[1]:

“On illegal immigration, Mr. McCain said that anyone who says he supported amnesty is “a liar” and says he has “never” supported Social Security benefits for illegals. However, in 2006 and 2007, he joined with Ted Kennedy to support Senate bills that would have granted amnesty to millions of illegals. In 2006, Mr. McCain denounced in a floor speech and cast the deciding vote against an amendment by Sen. John Ensign, Nevada Republican, that would have denied Social Security benefits to illegals who work under a Social Security number obtained through identity fraud. He cosponsored the Dream Act providing in-state tuition for illegal-alien college students, but, in the face of intense opposition to the bill from grass-roots conservatives, Mr. McCain announced that he would have voted against the legislation had he been in attendance when it was voted on late last year (he was absent).”

Recently, in a GOP nomination debate, McCain insisted it would be fine if American troops were in Iraq for the next hundred years. He talked of only withdrawing when victory and honor were satisfied. I seem to remember those same arguments used over the Vietnam war. Then, it took another 20,000 or so dead Americans before ‘honor’ and ‘victory’ took a back seat to commonsense.

The sad fact, for people like John McCain, is that there will never be honor or victory for America in Iraq. The US forfeited its right to such eulogy the day it committed an act against international law by carrying out a premeditated strike against another nation; that, without the subsequent war crimes of Abu Ghraib, Fallujah, and numerous other less well publicized atrocities.

John McCain cannot grasp that obvious fact. He fails to move beyond the intransigence of American idealism. He is blinkered, nationalistic, and way too old to learn a better way. McCain’s heart will never accept that an Arab, once he’s had a good dose of US Imperialism, won’t realize how much better off he is.

In this world, that’s a highly dangerous mindset. It’s exactly the mindset of George W Bush.

Given the unknown numbers of whites who truly hate the idea of a black president, and the indeterminate mass of chauvinist male Americans who despise the concept of a woman in ultimate power, what chance next November will produce a Republican President John McCain?

^{[1] – McCain vs. McCain (Washington Times 01/25/08)}

Filed under: Each way bet

Posted under Sparrow Chat

Leaving aside the would-be-presidents and their intense political news of the day, there were some fascinating items from NBC Nightly tonight^[1], beginning with a new study involving a million human beings from all around the world. The mid-life crisis, it seems, is real and according to NBC’s resident quack expert, this study produced fascinating truths never before revealed.

According to the report, most astonishing was the fact women suffer their mid-life crisis from around the age of forty, but men are about a decade later.

Well, wha’ der yer know?

A woman gets to forty and thinks, “Oh, my God! I’m forty! My looks are going, my face is getting wrinkled, it’s all downhill from here!”

Men, on the other hand, are only too well aware that many younger women seek more mature, slightly graying males as sexually attractive partners, but by the time men have reached fifty, ‘maturity’ is shifting to ‘aged’, keeping up with the demands of a woman thirty years younger can prove something of a strain as the old testosterone factory goes on short time, and the average male begins that gradual slide into depression.

My only question is: is there anyone out there – apart from NBC’s Brian Williams and the resident quack expert – who doesn’t already know this?

How much did it cost to undertake this ground-breaking study? How many man-hours were spent interviewing a million people?

Little wonder the global economy is staggering to a standstill.

While on the subject of financial matters, it was further revealed that the average American holds nine credit cards. No, that’s not a typo, I did write ‘NINE’ – otherwise known as ’9′.

I’ve always considered the average American to be a trifle nuts, but why hold nine credit cards? Not only do they have them, but they’re all maxed out – to the limit!

A word of advice, America: credit cards are the greatest financial asset on the planet for running your day-to-day finances – but, there’s only one way to use a credit card. Only have one, charge everything you buy for one month, then PAY IT OFF! After one year the credit company will owe you between two and three hundred dollars; you never have to carry cash, and best of all, your credit rating soars.

If every American did this, credit businesses would eventually collapse. And where would all their billions of dollars in assets have gone? Into our pockets, that’s where!

Wise up, America!

In fact, don’t just wise up, America – wake up! Dear old NBC Nightly pulled another gem of a rabbit from Brian William’s silk top hat tonight with news of two government reports stating the Food and Drug Administration is, not just under strain; not buckling at the knees; not even cracked, but “broken”.

Of course, we all knew it, but it’s nice to have it officially confirmed once in a while. Meanwhile, hauled before Congress in the manner of a small boy propelled into the school principal’s office for smoking behind the bike sheds, FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach said, in his defence:

“We’re not here today because of what is wrong with the FDA, but because of what is right with it, and must get even better…… “

According to two recent government reports, large numbers of people are dying because of “what is right” with the FDA.

Three of the most important Federal institutions in America have now been officially classified as “broken”. The Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Social Security Administration.

There aren’t that many others of any consequence. The biggest, created and expanded out of all proportion by George W Bush, is the Department of Homeland Security. To date, no-one has dared to classify that as “broken”, though there can be little doubt it’s seriously mangled.

It’s a strange irony really, when you think about it. The economy’s in a mess, America is borrowing another $150 billion dollars from China, and there just isn’t any cash available to mend all these broken institutions.

You would think George W Bush would have mentioned that in his State of the Union address. In fact, you’d think all these would-be-presidents out there would want to discuss that, wouldn’t you? But, no, they all just leave it aside.

Like Mister Average American, they simply add one more to their collection of credit cards, then max it out.

^{[1] – NBC Nightly News}

Filed under: Daily nightly

Posted under Sparrow Chat

NBC Nightly News tonight lauded the new (to America) Smart car from Mercedes Benz.^[1] Smarts have been around for a number of years in Europe and have proved relatively popular both in Britain and on the continental mainland.

Given a choice of eleven different models, ranging from the basic “Fortwo Pure” at 61 bhp to the rangy Smart “Fortwo BRABUS Cabrio” at 98 bhp, it would seem there is one to suit anybody – or at least, anyone with no children, as the Smart is only a two-seater.

NBC made much of the car for inner city commuting, particularly it’s ability to park on a dime, but then came the shock. According to the US EPA the car only returns a combined town/highway gas consumption of 36 mpg.

Asked about such an appalling figure from a 999cc engine, the dealer responded in true dealership fashion:

“You know, there’s a fine line between performance expectation and maximum fuel economy.”

Excuse me?

Presumably, he was trying to say that if you want it to go reasonably quickly, it requires more gasoline? Then why is the American version fitted with a governor that caps top speed at 84 mph, when the basic European car manages 90 mph and the BRABUS 95 mph?

All this may seem somewhat irrelevant until one discovers the Smart’s European counterparts manage to return fuel economy figures that make the US version look like a ten ton truck.^[2]

Town/highway figures show the European BRABUS returns a respectable 54 mpg, and the basic Smart manages a devastatingly appealing 60 mpg.

Which begs the question: why do foreign cars sold in America always produce poorer gas mileage figures than their European or Asian counterparts? The US Smart manages a figure over a third less, from the same 999cc turbo-charged engine.

It makes no sense, unless one becomes incredibly cynical and dares to suggest a political element limiting the scope of non-American motor manufacturers?

^{[1] “NBC – Inspiring Envy With The Anti-SUV”}

^{[2] “UK Smart Car Guide”}

Filed under: U.S. not so Smart

Posted under Sparrow Chat

Gaza has long been relegated to the lower levels of American newsworthiness, pushed out by the US economy and a frenzy over presidential nominees, but the sudden explosion of Palestinians over the Egyptian border should really be making headlines throughout the world. ^[1]

Such a long, drawn out, controversy between the West and Palestine results in bored apathy from those so well off they can have no comprehension of the suffering and human indignity being imposed on the people of Gaza. For many in the West the whole situation has become nothing more than a ‘perfect bore’.

Yet, the situation in Gaza is anything but boring.

A strip of land measuring twenty-five miles long and between three and seven miles wide, is home to some one and a half million people, mostly Sunni Arabs with a sprinkling of Christians. Eighty percent of them live below the poverty line.

Israel controls the long border to the east and north; Egypt lies to the south. The only exit from Gaza to Egypt was the Rafah Crossing, once operated jointly by Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, with European monitors on the Palestinian side. When the democratically elected Hamas government was rejected by Israel and the West back in January 2006, the Rafah Crossing was closed because European monitors were withdrawn from the region, ostensibly for ‘security reasons’.

This left the Palestinians of Gaza at the mercy of the Israeli government, who strictly controlled the only other border crossings.

A relatively small number of Hamas militants have been using northern Gaza as a base for firing home-made rockets into southern Israeli towns, and by using a process of collective punishment Israel has sought retribution for these acts by closing the only border crossings and refusing essential aid, medical supplies, and fuel for power stations.

Collective punishment is illegal under Article 3 of the Fourth Geneva Conventions, but has been commonly practiced by the Nazi European occupying forces during WW2, Israel throughout its history, and the US forces occupying Iraq [i.e. Fallujah] from 2003.^[2]

Article 3 (c) prohibits:

“outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment.”

There can be little doubt the people of Gaza have suffered such atrocities at the hands of Israel.

The recent assault on the Egyptian border fences by Hamas who, realizing the plight of Gaza’s people, used explosives and diggers to remove the barriers, seems totally justified in the light of Israel’s intransigence.

Palestinians making use of this sudden access to Egypt have spoken of a wondrous sense of freedom after the open prison that is Gaza. Unfortunately, certain governments are unhappy at this ‘taste of freedom’ and are demanding that Egypt seal the border and herd the unfortunate people of Gaza back into their ghetto.

Who would dare to utter such an inhumane directive?

Washington, of course; who else?

The American government, both Republican and Democrat, is pressurizing Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak to seal up the border and re-incarcerate the people of Gaza.

This is all part of American policy to support the Jewish nation however barbarous and inhumane their actions. It is the reason no peace policy in the region will ever provide a fair and just settlement for the Palestinians. It is the reason George W Bush, Tony Blair, Condoleeza Rice, and all who purr about an Israeli/Palestinian agreement within twelve months, are lying blatantly through their teeth.

The intention of the Western powers is to ensure Israel reigns supreme in the Middle East. Jewish influence now controls the corridors of power throughout the Western world. Bush’s invasion of Iraq was ‘Part One’ of the plan to subjugate Arab power in the region once and for all. Iran is now his biggest stumbling block, hence the arrogant, bellicose, rhetoric belied by his own intelligence forces but still peddled around the world with the support of Sarkozi, Blair, and Merkel.

Few truly caring westerners would not feel sympathy for the people of Gaza temporarily sprung from their prison this week. Such freedom will not be allowed to continue for long. Western power will see to that. Mubarak, himself a Sunni Arab, finds himself between the devil and the ocean. Allied to Western power, he cannot afford to alienate himself and his country, but surely his heart must bleed for the plight of his fellow Arabs.

Mubarak, however, also fears a Shia [Iranian] uprising of power in the region. His alliance with the US was surely with that in mind. He is a man torn, but as the saying goes, “He knows on which side his bread is buttered.”

Meanwhile, the people of Gaza along with all Palestinians caught up in this vast power-struggle, are the big losers.

But then, whenever there’s a power struggle it matters not the religion, ethnicity, or nationality of ordinary people. It is they who are the losers, never the wicked and powerful – those instigators of violence, suffering, and bereavement.

^{[1] BBC News report}

^{[2] Information Clearing House}

Filed under: Oppressed people

Posted under Sparrow Chat

I’m not averse to taking a few hundred dollars from George W Bush, if for once in his life he’s feeling generous. Though, given the state of the economy right now, I certainly wouldn’t consider spending it.

The most amazing aspect of this show of political munificence is that anyone can possibly believe it is going to do the slightest bit of good. After all, an injection of $140 billion into an economy of $13 trillion works out at just 1.1% of GDP.

Given the dismal retail figures over the holiday period, it’s conceivable that if we all rushed out and spent patriotically “for the country”, it might lift retailers’ gloom and inspire some confidence, but surely the situation – given the state of the sub-prime mortgage market, huge trade deficit, and the colossal expense of keeping 150,000 troops in Iraq ad infinitum – is hardly going to right itself by us all blowing a few hundred dollars down our local Wal-Mart and McDonalds?

So why is the Congress falling over itself, like a load of fairy godmothers with brand new wands, to kiss George W’s feet and grant him his three wishes? It really doesn’t make much sense.

Of course, there’s nothing new about that. When was the last time you remember Congress achieving anything that contained even a modicum of savvy?

And who was responsible for this great idea anyway? It certainly wasn’t Georgy Porgy. He didn’t wake up in the middle of one night, dig Laura in the back and shout, “Eureka! I’ve just realized how to save the nation.”

The idea is just ridiculous enough to have festered in the gap between George’s ears, but presidents don’t work that way; they have “advisors”. To date, whoever thought up this one has remained anonymous. Perhaps it was Michael Brown, or Alberto Gonzales, or maybe Harriet Myers. It had to be someone close to the president, someone who was “doing a great job”.

The question arises as to whether this sum, injected back into the economy, is just a drop in the ocean? To be fair, it isn’t. It’s much more than a drop in the ocean, or even a cupful in a very large pool.

Imagine, if you will, a fish tank, five feet long, by four feet high, by eighteen inches deep. It will hold just over 200 gallons of water. Consider over time how the water becomes murky. In a vain attempt to clean the water, the amateur aquarist chucks in one two-gallon bucketful of clean water. Will it have any effect?

The water in the fishtank is the US economy. The bucket of clean water is the $140 billion. The amateur aquarist is George W Bush.

Perhaps he needs a new hobby.

Filed under: Great ideas

Posted under Sparrow Chat

According to Federal Times.com:

” The Social Security Administration — which is at its lowest staffing levels in 35 years and which faces a growing backlog of 747,000 disability claims cases — plans to hire 150 administrative law judges and 92 support staff this year.

SSA plans to replace only one of every two state disability determination service employees — who help decide whether people claiming severe disabilities should receive benefits — who leave in 2008.”

But, it reports:

“At the Homeland Security Department, managers at Customs and Border Protection plan to hire 11,000 new employees, including 3,000 Border Patrol agents and 2,500 customs and border protection officers. The remainder are support staff.”

“Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is the former Immigration and Naturalization Service — is planning its own wave of new hires, at least 1,500 new employees……”

Meanwhile, at the FBI they’re jumping through hoops as spokesperson, Kathy Milhoan, announced:

“We anticipate this being a huge hiring year. This year, the bureau plans to recruit more than 900 agents and 2,000 professional support employees, at least one-quarter of whom will be intelligence analysts. “We’re hoping to hire people with a wide variety of backgrounds, everything from IT to accounting and analytical skills. And we’re looking to hire agents with a variety of skills as well.”

It’s easy to see where lies the Bush administration’s priorities.

Filed under: Political priorities

Posted under Sparrow Chat

America’s News media proudly announced tonight a major move forward in the political improvements supposedly taking place in Iraq. The Iraq government has decided on a new flag for the country.

Cute, isn’t it?

Gone are the green stars representing the Baath Party. “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) no longer is in Saddam Hussein’s handwriting.

Well, a flag’s a flag’s a flag, and it’s not so different from the old one, except that the old one was permanent, well, until they hanged Saddam, of course.

This one is temporary, chosen in a moment of panic when it was realized the government would be banned from flying its own, original, flag in Irbil, Khurdistan, during a meeting of the pan-Arab parliament in March. The flag is banned in Khurdistan, where it’s seen as a symbol of Saddam Hussain.

So this flag, like most things the Iraqi government concerns itself with, is a botch-up until they can get around to doing something permanent.

And that may be this year, next year…….. sometime…..

^{My thanks to Leila Fadel of “Baghdad Observer” for the information.}

Filed under: Manana

Posted under Sparrow Chat

Rev Lennox Yearwood and the War on Greed:

If you read the previous post you’ll be familiar with the name, KKR, a private equity company founded by Henry Kravis. To learn more of both, and what they’re doing to the American people, check out the videos in the sidebar.

Then visit “War On Greed”

Filed under: What dream was that?

Posted under Sparrow Chat